Newcastle restore Owen's smile

His new surroundings might not provide the same glamour as Madrid but Michael Owen is relishing the down-to-earth attractions of North-East England - both as a footballer and as a family man.

Owen, who will be in Newcastle's team to face Birmingham City today, is clearly revelling in the knockabout humour of a dressing room now that language barriers have been eliminated following his departure from Real Madrid.

But his relocation has had other important spin-offs. England's millionaire vice-captain and conscientious father-of-one is thriving in the rustic charms offered by his new life in rural Northumberland, which is a far cry from his year in Spain.

Related Articles

"Madrid's a big city and when you walk out there's cars and buildings and everything else so it wasn't great for a child," he said. "Here, I've been getting out and about with my little girl [two-year-old Gemma] after training and I've quickly got to know where all the parks and the playgrounds and the farms are - everything to keep her occupied.

"I don't know about the shops around here yet though because kids come first so I might be looking a bit scruffy - I haven't had the chance to go shopping for clothes."

The superstar striker and wife Louise, who are expecting their second child in February, have bought a house less than two months after his £16 million transfer.

"I've settled in better than I thought I would," he continued. "It took a while at Madrid with hotel rooms and stuff, and we were dreading the first couple of months.

"I stayed with Alan [Shearer] for a couple of days in his guest house and then we were in a hotel for three or four weeks. I don't mind living in hotels but you've got to feel for the family. Now we've settled in our own house and it really feels as though we're putting down roots.

"Our village is lovely and quiet and near the housing estate where a lot of the players live, so you can enjoy the peace and quiet or meet up with the players."

Owen, 26 next month, has scored four times in five outings for Newcastle and has quickly become assimilated among his new colleagues.

"When I joined Real I went to a place where I could hardly speak the language," Owen reflected. "It is not what you think it will be like when you move to a new club.

"But here it is. You get to mix with the lads a lot more and understand the banter in the changing room and everything else. It was an eye-opener moving back to an English club.

"I've found it really enjoyable although it's not every club when you finish work and you then go out with the same lads you work with. It's a special atmosphere."

With Owen spearheading Newcastle's attack, Graeme Souness' side is an upwardly mobile unit - quite a contrast to the team who gained just one point from 12 before Owen's arrival.

"You can tell in the city there's a buzz again and people have a spring in their step," he added. "It's nice that everyone is looking up the table and talking about who's third.

"If you get this club on the crest of a wave it will be a fantastic place. We're on the small start of that wave at the minute and we need to keep going.

"It's amazing how things snowball when everything is going wrong and then again when everything goes right.

"That's what happens at this club, and there are parallels with England, but it is magnified with England. When I joined here everyone was talking about managers and we won a couple of games and everything was looking great.

"Then we lose one and it is back on about the manager. I just thought if this goes on all season it'll do our heads in."